Finished Work of Jesus

by Terry Wane Benton

Argument:

“Baptism is an act of obedience, not a means of salvation. To tie baptism to salvation is to add our own works to the perfect, finished work of Jesus.”

Answers:

Mark:

But Jesus did tie baptism to salvation (Mark 16:16), and so did Peter (Acts 2:38; I Peter 3:21). The meme is contradictory. If Jesus has truly done everything for us, then we don’t even have to hear the gospel (Mark 16:15) or believe, for that is something we do. If Jesus did everything for us, then everyone is automatically saved.

I find those who teach the meme to be inconsistent. They say on the one hand, “Jesus did it all,” and then tell people they need to let Jesus come into their hearts and say the sinner's prayer. Where does the Bible teach that?

Terry:

Jesus finished His work of providing the means of salvation through His blood, but He did not do for all of us what He requires of us as conditions for having His blood applied to our account. God would have all men to “come to a knowledge of the truth” so that we can be saved (I Timothy 2:4).

• Did Jesus “finish” this so that we don’t have to come to the knowledge of the truth?
• God is not willing that any should perish, "but that all should come to repentance” (II Peter 3:9). Did Jesus “finish” this so that we will be saved without repentance?
• If we have to hear the gospel, did Jesus leave something “unfinished”?
• If we have to “search the scriptures” to find out what is so (Acts 17:11), did Jesus leave something “unfinished”?
• If we have to “confess” Jesus was raised from the dead (Romans 10:9-10), did Jesus leave something “unfinished?”

Are we now “adding our works to the perfect, finished work of Christ?” This is an argument from demons to trick you into thinking that you can be saved without doing what Jesus said you had to do to have the remission of sins He offers conditionally (Acts 2:36-41). Do not let the devil use such deceptive words on you!